Tuscan Chicken Soup – The EASY Way!
Nothing is better than a cozy bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day… well nothing except a hot, cozy bowl of Tuscan Chicken Soup that took just minutes to prepare! The beauty of this chicken soup recipe is that there is so much flavor, with so little hands on time. The slow cooker pulls the weight of getting the meal ready while it just takes you minutes. What I love about this recipe:
Just one pot to prep and wash after it all cooks!Lots of flavorEveryday pantry ingredientsCan be prepared in minutes!
Of course this soup is easy, but it is equally delicious. The rich broth combined with tender chicken and veggies makes a combination that just can’t be beat.
How to Serve with Tuscan Chicken Soup
With classic Italian flavors and hearty fillings, this soup will stand on its own as an ample meal. You can eat it deliciously as is or add a few extras to top it off.
Topping Options
Parmesan cheesePestoCroutonsFresh chopped basil
Side Dish Options
If you are serving the soup as a main course you can add a side dish to help round it out. Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
Pesto Cheese BreadSide salad with Balsamic VinaigretteBaked potatoGrilled cheese sandwich – try provolone or mozzarella to go well with the soup
You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well rounded dinner.
Recipe Notes
This Tuscan Chicken Soup recipe is as simple as promised! Just a few ingredients and your slow cooker for a family friendly meal. In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results. Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Chicken breast– I use chicken breast in this recipe based on my family’s preference, but chicken thighs are just as good! If you need to cook this over a long period of time (like 6-8 hours) chicken thighs are a better option.Salt Ground pepperDried Italian herbsGarlicOnionArtichoke hearts– I like to get the quartered artichoke hearts that are canned. This makes them a little quicker to chop up and over-all prep faster. I use the kind that are packed in water, but if yours are packed in oil or have added herbs, they will work too.Sun dried tomatoes– Choose the sun dried tomatoes that are packed in oil and julienned with herbs. This is important for both prep time, since chopping the tomatoes is messy and can be time consuming, and because we add the oil with herbs from the jar to the crock pot for flavor. Chicken broth– You can use traditional or substitute vegetable broth.Fresh spinach– I like fresh best in this recipe, but frozen can be substituted as needed.Heavy cream– My choice for this soup is heavy cream to give it a creamy texture, but not make it too heavy. -OR- If you prefer a richer flavor and slightly thicker broth, you can use softened cream cheese instead. After cooking, mix the cream cheese with the shredded chicken and then incorporate back into the soup.
Recipe Tips
Cook Slow or Fast? Even though we are slow cooking, you can use the pot to cook in 3-4 hours or extend the cook for 6-8 hours. I recommend using chicken breast on the lower side of the cooking time, but if you need to set up the recipe for a longer period of time, use chicken thighs, for a more tender result.Salt twice– Add the initial salt in while cooking, then after adding the cream, you will want to salt again to taste. This will bring out the rich flavors more as you add salt. I recommend tasting as you go!Fresh spinach – I think the fresh spinach makes this soup really special. It is soft and delicate in the soup and you can’t get that same texture with frozen. It takes very little effort to get it perfect! At the end of the cook time, pile it in the slow cooker, return the lid, and let the residual heat wilt it right down to perfection. Then, just stir it in.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
(Not creamy)– You can make a non-creamy version of this soup by adding and additional cup of broth to the soup. It still packs in lots of delicious flavor, in a lighter package!Tuscan Chicken White Bean Soup– To natually add some healthy carbs to this soup, you can make add 1-2 cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans. Their silky texture and nutty flavor make them the perfect compliment for this soup. The beans are added at the beginning with the chicken.Tuscan Chicken Tortellini Soup– Tortellini works well with these flavors and is an easy addition to the soup. Add frozen tortellini 30 minutes before the end of the cook time.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
Prep ahead– All of the ingredients can be prepped up to 48 hours in advance and kept in a bag, or container in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, dump them in the crock pot, cover with broth, and continue as directed.Cook ahead– Being a soup, this recipe can made completely from start to finish ahead of time and reheated with no loss in flavor. Just make as directed, then cool to room temp and package. Refrigerate, and when ready to eat, heat on the stove top over medium low until heated through.Freezer meal– To make this meal significantly in advance, you can prepare as a freezer meal with the directions below.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Tuscan Chicken Soup can be prepared as freezer meal before or after cooking. For best results, cook within 6 months.
To freeze before cooking:
Prepare recipe as directed through step 2. Broth can be added before or after freezing (I prefer after to save space in my freezer.)Place in a freezer bag or freezer friendly container.FREEZE.When ready to cook, add to the slow cooker and add broth if needed. If cooking from frozen, you will need additional cooking time.Frozen soup can be thawed before cooking by placing in the refrigerator 24-48 hours in advance.Cook as directed.
To freeze after cooking:
Prepare recipe as directed.Allow to cool to room temperature.Divide into meal sized portions if desired. Package in freezer bags or freezer friendly containers.FREEZE.Soup can be reheated on the stove top or microwave.
Dietary Considerations
If you have special dietary needs, this recipe meets some and can be easily modified to comply with others. As always, check all store bought ingredients for compliance on specific dietary needs. The notes below are a general guide.
Gluten free: This recipe is naturally gluten free. Please verify on each specific ingredient purchased.Dairy free: This recipe can be modified to be dairy free by omitting the cream (or cheese)Nut free: This recipe is naturally nut freeEgg free: This recipe is naturally egg freeLow carb/Keto: This recipe has approx 11g net carbs per serving.Macros: The approximate macro calculation for this recipe is- P: 30g C: 16g F: 30g
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Soup Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this slow cooker recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious meal. To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
in the refrigerator for 3-4 daysin the freezer up to a month
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night! You can check out all of my EASY Crock Pot recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Bacon Ranch White Chicken ChiliCrockpot Greek Style Chicken3 Ingredient Chicken TacosSlow Cooker Tuscan Pot Roast
